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Back to the future

Ohio Historical Society wise to find a way to reopen Ohio Village

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Thursday June 21, 2012 5:26 AM

After being closed for nearly a decade because of budget cuts, Ohio Village at the Ohio History
Center has reopened to the public, thanks to the dedication and planning of employees and
volunteers.

It’s a welcome move to those who remember visiting the re-created 19 {+t}{+h}-century village in
its earlier days and to a new generation of children who may be seeing it for the first time.

Caleb Peterman of Johnstown had been waiting six years, since his older daughter was born, to
return to the place that fascinated him as a child. He visited on Father’s Day with his daughters
soon after the village reopened. He said the experience was like “a flashback to childhood.”

The Ohio Historical Society, which operates the Ohio History Center and the village, actually
hopes to provide a “flashback” to Ohio’s earlier days through living history. The village isn’t
just a static display; it’s something that visitors take an active part in. Along the way, children
and even their parents are likely to learn a thing or two, whether through talking to volunteer
re-enactors or playing simple games that were popular 150 years ago.

This is just the latest example of how the Ohio Historical Society is remaking itself to adapt
to 21 {+s}{+t}-century realities of how kids learn — and the fact that it, like most other
organizations that receive state funding, will have to do more with less. The first response to
budget shortfalls was to cut hours, staff and access to places like the village. Now, under
Executive Director Burt Logan, the Historical Society is finding creative ways to reach out to the
community and be more relevant, while keeping a lid on costs.

It turns out that if you give people more, you get back more in return. The Historical Society
decided to offer a new “summer fun” membership this year, allowing four people to visit society
sites as often as they wish through September, for just $25. The historical society quickly
exceeded its goal of selling 160 of these memberships, which officials hope will lead to ongoing
interest in and support of the historical society. Donations from individuals and corporations have
seen a modest uptick.

When asked how the society could afford to reopen the Ohio Village, Logan responded, “How could
we afford not to?”

That attitude — of finding a way to do what’s right, even if it’s not easy — is in line with the
can-do spirit of Ohio’s earlier settlers who are portrayed at the Ohio Village, and is sure to
benefit the historical society as well as all Ohioans who love to see history come alive.